Bolster for construction container

Abstract

A container adapted to be lifted by a forklift having a pair of prongs, including a receptacle having a floor, a front wall, a rear wall, and a pair of opposed sidewalls, wherein a front edge, a rear edge and side edges of the floor define a perimeter of the floor. A plurality of bolsters is attached to the floor such that each bolster is within the perimeter, each bolster including a lower panel and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly to the floor and forming a first entry window configured to slidably receive one of the prongs of the forklift. Each bolster is positioned such that its first entry window is accessible from one of the opposed side edges of the floor, and the prongs of the forklift are slidably receivable between a pair of the bolsters from one of the front edge and the rear edge of the floor.

That which is claimed is:  
     
       1. A container adapted to be lifted by a forklift having a pair of prongs, comprising:
 a receptacle having a floor, a front wall extending upwardly from a front edge of the floor, a rear wall extending upwardly from a rear edge of the floor, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from a pair of side edges of the floor, wherein the front edge, rear edge and side edges of the floor define a perimeter of the floor, wherein the front edge and the rear edge are parallel to each other, wherein the side edges are parallel to each other, and wherein each of the front edge and the rear edge is longer than each of the side edges; and 
 a plurality of bolsters attached to an underside surface of the floor at respective corners defined by the front edge, side edges, and rear edge, each bolster comprising
 an upper panel attached to the underside surface of the floor, 
 a lower panel spaced apart from the underside surface of the floor, and 
 first and second rigid sidewalls, each extending from the lower panel to the floor and in a direction parallel to the front edge and the rear edge so that a first entry window is formed between the first and second sidewalls that is accessible from one of the side edges of the floor and is configured to slidably receive one of the prongs of the forklift under the floor within an area bounded by the perimeter of the floor, the first sidewall extending from the lower panel to the upper panel and curving to form the upper panel so that the lower panel, the first sidewall, and the upper panel are formed from a single sheet-like member and so that an acute angle is defined between the first sidewall and the upper panel; 
 
 an upper center panel attached to the underside surface of the floor and connecting respective second sidewalls of a first pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by one side edge of the pair of side edges; and 
 an upper center panel attached to the underside surface of the floor and connecting respective second sidewalls of a second pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by the other side edge of the pair of side edges, 
 wherein for a third pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by the front edge, the bolsters of the third pair are not directly connected and are spaced from each other so that a continuous space is defined below the underside surface and adjacent each bolster of the third pair, wherein each respective space
 is between the bolsters of the third pair, 
 extends to the front edge, 
 extends, with respect to the bolster adjacent the space, to the said sidewall that is further from the front edge and to the lower panel, and 
 is open in opposing directions parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the front edge and in a direction perpendicular to and away from the floor, and 
 
 wherein, for a fourth pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by the rear edge, the bolsters of the fourth pair are not directly connected and are spaced from each other so that a continuous space is defined below the underside surface and adjacent each bolster of the fourth pair, wherein each respective space
 is between the bolsters of the fourth pair, 
 extends to the rear edge, 
 extends, with respect to the bolster adjacent the space, to the said sidewall that is further from the rear edge and to the lower panel, and 
 is open in opposing directions parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the rear edge and in a direction perpendicular to and away from the floor. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the floor of the receptacle is rectangular. 
     
     
       3. The container of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first pair of bolsters and second pair of bolsters is formed from a respective single unitary member. 
     
     
       4. The container of  claim 1 , wherein each sidewall of each bolster defines an aperture forming a second entry window configured to slidably receive one of the prongs of the forklift. 
     
     
       5. The container of  claim 1 , wherein the underside surface of the floor is generally planar, and wherein the first and second sidewalls of each bolster extend from the lower panel toward the floor of the container at an oblique angle with respect to the lower panel. 
     
     
       6. A container adapted to be lifted by a forklift having a pair of prongs, comprising:
 a receptacle having a floor, a rear wall extending upwardly from the floor, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, wherein a bottom perimeter of the container encloses an underside surface of the floor and has a rear edge parallel to the rear wall, a pair of side edges parallel to each other and the opposed sidewalls, and a front edge parallel to the rear edge, wherein each of the front and rear edges of the perimeter is longer than each of the side edges; and 
 a plurality of bolsters attached to the underside surface of the floor and at respective corners defined by the front edge, side edges, and rear edge of the perimeter, each bolster comprising
 an upper panel attached to the underside surface of the floor, 
 a lower panel spaced apart from the underside surface of the floor, and 
 first and second rigid sidewalls, each extending from the lower panel to the floor and in a direction parallel to the front edge and the rear edge so that a first entry window is formed between the first and second sidewalls that is accessible from one of the side edges and is configured to slidably receive one of the prongs of the forklift under the floor within an area bounded by the perimeter, the first sidewall extending from the lower panel to the upper panel and curving to form the upper panel so that the lower panel, the first sidewall, and the upper panel are formed from a single sheet-like member and so that an acute angel is defined between the first sidewall and the upper panel; 
 
 an upper center panel attached to the underside surface of the floor and connecting respective second sidewalls of a first pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by one side edge of the pair of side edges; and 
 an upper center panel attached to the underside surface of the floor and connecting respective second sidewalls of a second pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by the other side edge of the pair of side edges, 
 wherein for a third pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by the front edge, the bolsters of the third pair are not directly connected and are spaced from each other so that a continuous space is defined below the underside surface and adjacent each bolster of the third pair, wherein each respective space
 is between the bolsters of the third pair, 
 extends, with respect to the bolster adjacent the space, to the said sidewall thereof that is further from the front edge and to the lower panel, and 
 is open in opposing directions parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the front edge and in a direction perpendicular and away from the floor, and 
 
 wherein, for a fourth pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by the rear edge, the bolsters of the fourth pair are not directly connected and are spaced from each other so that a continuous space is defined below the underside surface and adjacent each bolster of the fourth pair, wherein each respective space
 is between the bolsters of the fourth pair, 
 extends to the rear edge, 
 extends, with respect to the bolster adjacent the space, to the said sidewall thereof that is further from the rear edge and to the lower panel, and 
 is open in opposing directions parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the rear edge and in a direction perpendicular to and away from the floor. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The container of  claim 6 , wherein each of the first pair of bolsters and the second pair of bolsters is formed as a respective single unitary member. 
     
     
       8. The container of  claim 6 , wherein each sidewall of each bolster defines an aperture forming a second entry window configured to slidably receive one of the prongs of the forklift. 
     
     
       9. The container of  claim 6 , wherein the underside surface of the floor is generally planar, and wherein the sidewalls of each bolster extend from the lower panel to the floor of the container at an oblique angle with respect to the lower panel. 
     
     
       10. A container adapted to be lifted by a forklift having a pair of prongs, comprising:
 a receptacle having a floor, a rear wall extending upwardly from the floor, and a pair of opposed sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor, wherein a bottom perimeter of the container encloses an underside surface of the floor and has a rear edge parallel to the rear wall, a pair of side edges parallel to each other and the opposed sidewalls, and a front edge parallel to the rear edge, wherein each of the front and rear edges of the perimeter is longer than each of the side edges; 
 a plurality of bolsters attached to the underside surface of the floor at respective corners defined by the front edge, side edges, and rear edge of the perimeter, each bolster comprising
 an upper panel attached to the underside surface of the floor, 
 a lower panel spaced apart from the underside surface of the floor, and 
 first and second rigid sidewalls, each extending from the lower panel to the floor and in a direction parallel to the front edge and the rear edge so that a first entry window is formed between the first and second sidewalls that is accessible from one of the side edges and is configured to slidably receive one of the prongs of the forklift under the floor within an area bounded by the perimeter, the first sidewall extending from the lower panel to the upper panel and curving to form the upper panel so that the lower panel, the first sidewall, and the upper panel are formed from a single sheet-like member and so that an acute angle is defined between the first sidewall and the upper panel; 
 
 an upper center panel attached to the underside surface of the floor and connecting respective second sidewalls of a first pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by one side edge of the pair of side edges; and 
 an upper center panel attached to the underside surface of the floor and connecting respective second sidewalls of a second pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by the other side edge of the pair of side edges, 
 wherein for a third pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by the front edge, the bolsters of the third pair are not directly connected and are spaced from each other so that a continuous space is defined below the underside surface and adjacent each bolster of the third pair, wherein each respective space
 is between the bolsters of the third pair, 
 extends to the front edge, 
 extends, with respect to the bolster adjacent the space, to the said sidewall that is further from the front edge and to the lower panel, and 
 is open in opposing directions parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the front edge and in a direction perpendicular to and away from the floor, and 
 
 wherein, for a fourth pair of the bolsters that are attached to the underside surface at corners defined by the rear edge, the bolsters of the fourth pair are not directly connected and are spaced from each other so that a continuous space is defined below the underside surface and adjacent each bolster of the fourth pair, wherein each respective space
 is between the bolsters of the fourth pair, 
 extends to the rear edge, 
 extends, with respect to the bolster adjacent the space, to the said sidewall that is further from the rear edge and to the lower panel, and 
 is open in opposing directions parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the rear edge and in a direction perpendicular to and away from the floor. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The container of  claim 10 , wherein each of the first pair of bolsters and the second pair of bolsters is formed as a respective single unitary member. 
     
     
       12. The container of  claim 10 , wherein each sidewall of each bolster defines an aperture forming a second entry window configured to slidably receive one of the prongs of the forklift. 
     
     
       13. The container of  claim 10 , wherein the underside surface of the floor is generally planar, and wherein the sidewalls of each bolster extend from the lower panel to the floor of the container at an oblique angle with respect to the lower panel.